of the species. Those essential oils can be released and capture in several ways. Crushing or bruising a leaf or flower will release the "essential oils". This method could be used for ingestion of non toxic plants or even as a compress for wounds and other afflictions.Infusing plants in water also releases essential oils or boils them out.The essential oils in plants are what potentially elicits healing or pleasure from the plant in question through smell and ingestion.
Hence the birth of herbal beverages and the one in question today, tea. Tea is a caffeinated beverage, infusion made by steeping the dried leaves or buds of the shrub Camellia sinensis in hot water.
Now that the eating and drinking of plants had commenced, at some point humankind sought to keep these scents with them and perfume their bodies. What may be the world's oldest known perfumery, set atop a Cyprus hillside, was excavated by a team of archaeologists from the Italian Institute of Technologies Applied to Cultural Heritage, this last March. Showing that the desire for perfume has held strong for literally thousands of years.
We have talked about the benefits of smell and various ways to incorporate them into our lives, but how do you choose which medium is right for you?
Personally I use a combination approach. Others wouldn't dream of leaving home without a spritz of their personal favorite perfume. Still others would not function without their morning tea and an aromatic shower.
Some situations where perfumes or scents would not be appropriate would be a work place with a scent ban. You can rest assured that you can still have your aromatic fix without violating any rules or offending other olfactory palettes near by. If you love vanilla and would bathe in it all day if you could, you can have your vanilla in the form of tea. This allows you a subtle yet still powerful connection to your favorite scent. The oils from the tea are released into the air and your olfactory system finds comfort in them, before you even realize it your body and emotions may relax. Really, the possibilities of olfactory bliss are endless, chai spices, jasmine green tea, herbal remedies, you name it, it can be yours.
So, what about the scenarios which don't allow you to have a cup of your beloved tea or herbal beverage? The answer quite simply is perfume, lotions or oils worn on the body to illicit the desired effects. Just as there are thousands of teas to choose from, there are even more scented perfumes to fill that gap.
So, the short and the long of it, is that you have many ways to harness the powerful effects of scent at any time and in any place. Therefore, tea and scents made sense to us, and thus ScentbySpirit.com was born!
Use of this article is permitted as long as there are clickable links back to us at: http://wwws.scentbyspirit.com and all credit is given to the author.
About the Author
ScentBySpirit.com is a woman-owned and family-run business in the heart of the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Scent by Spirit was born from the desire of owner Rachel Johnston's vision to combine the tactile sensations of blending fragrance, herbs and, most of all, teas. Use of this article is permitted as long as there are clickable links back to us at: http://wwws.scentbyspirit.com and all credit is given to the author.
